Apparatus for the continuous wet treatment of textiles and the like



April 25, 1967 H. G. MULLER 3,315,501 APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS WETTREATMENT OF TEXTILES AND THE LIKE med sept. 14, 1964 United Statesatent v l 3,315,501 APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS WET 'TREATMENT 0FTEXTILES AND THE LIKE Hermann G. Mller, Herisau, Aargau, Switzerland,assgnor to Aktiengesellschaft Cilander, Herisau, Switzerland Filed Sept.14, 1964, Ser. No. 396,149 Claims priority, application Germany, Sept.19, 1963,

A 44,094 Claims. (Cl. 68-181) The present invention has reference to animproved apparatus for the continuous wet treatment of rope orweb-shaped textiles (for instance fabrics, knitted goods and so forth)wherein the textile material is conveyed through at least two narrowcommunicating pipe-shaped chambers or compartments -lled with treatmentliquid and iu an opposite direction to the direction of flow of thetreatment liquid. The invention is also concerned with an improvedtangential nozzle used in the inventive apparatus. Under the term wettreatment there comes under consideration the following: washing,bleaching, dyeing, impregnating, treatment in a caustic-soda bath,acidification and so forth,

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providean improved apparatus for the Wet treatment of textile materials and,more specifically, to achieve as high as possible treatment action (alsoVwith very delicate textiles) while protecting against mechanicalforces, and to carry out such treatment action in as simple a manner aspossible and by means of inexpensive apparatus while using smallquantities of treatment bath.

It has been found, particularly with so-called exchange processes, thatthe treatment effect, notwithstanding the velocity of the textile goods,itself can be considerably increased by increasing the ow velocity ofthe treatment liquid at the surface of the textile goods. It has alreadybeen proposed to somewhat increase the treatment eect by increasing thevelocity of the textile goods. The increase of the treatment effect byincreasing the velocity of the treatment liquid with stationary textileygoods is, thus, incomparably larger than that achieved by increasingthe velocity of the textile goods with stationary treatment liquid.

In order to be able to maintain the counterow principle simultaneouslywith high velocity of the textile goods there was previously alwaysemployed -wide compartments or chambers, bringing about the disadvantageof having to use a large quantity of bath. With narrow compartments,particularly with vertical arrangement of the same, it was not up to thepresent possible to uphold the counterflow principle in a sufficientmanner, that is, with large velocities of the textile goods as well asalso the treatment liq-uid. Furthermore, with known method techniquesworking with large .pump pressures there further existed the danger ofdamaging the fabric.

Therefore, a further important aspect of the invention resides in thefeatures that by Ameans of an appropriate apparatus it is possible tomake the ow velocity of the treatment liquid in narrow chambers as highas possible at all locations during the throughpassage while employingthe counterilow principle, without thereby damaging the textile goods.

According to the teachings of the present invention the textile `goodsare conveyed through two communicating pipe-shaped compartments incounterliow to the treatment liquid; the treatment liquid is introducedinto that pipeshaped compartment in which the textile goods pass inupward direction; in the lower connecting portion of both communicatingpipe-shaped compartments at least a portion of the treatment liquid isremoved by a 3,315,591 Patented Apr. 25, 1967 pipe and by means of apump conducted through a liquid delivery apparatus, preferably a nozzle,and guided in a direction opposite the feed direction of the textilegoods in the lower portion of that pipe-shaped compartment through whichthe textile goods travel in downward direction.

Thus, in the one chamber the treatment liquid is upwardly conveyed bythe pump pressure in counterliow to the tlow of the textile goods,whereby there is achieved a liquid velocity at the surface of thetextile ,goods which is increased a number of times in comparison withknown systems. In the other compartment there occurs an acceleration ofthe liquid velocity over that velocity resulting from the free fall inthat pump at the same time sucks down the liquid through the pipe. 'Ihetextile Igoods are, therefore, imbued in both pipe-shaped compartmentsby the treatment liquid moving with high velocity in countercurrentflow. 'l

In so doing, the treatment liquid is advantageously conducted into thelower portion of the Ione ring-shaped compartment in approximatelyparallel direction with respect to the surface of the textile goods bymeans of the liquid delivery apparatus, permitting the application ofhigh liquid pressures previously never employed in actual practice,without also delicate fabrics and textiles becoming damaged and fiberdisplacement occurring. Due to the high ow velocities Vof the treatmentliquid in the direct region of the surface of the textile goods there isachieved a quicker exchange action between the liquid surrounding thetextile goods and that liquid itself located between the fibers, yarn,or as the case may be, intermicelles in the textile goods, than with adirect spraying of the treatment liquid upon the textile goods. In thelatter situation the treatment liquid rebounds from the textile goodsand after impact is thus again deflected away from such textile goods.The impingement and thereby the duration of contact or residence time isrelatively short, whereas with the invention, with approximatelyparallel introduced treatment liquid over a longer path of the textilegoods and thereby for a longer period of contact, there advantageouslyoccurs a very intensive liquid exchange.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will Vbecomeapparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawingin which:

FIGURE 1 schematically illustrates an apparatus for the performance ofthe wet treatment of textile materials;

FIGURE 2 schematically illustrates a further embodiment of inventiveapparatus; and

FIGURE 3 is an embodiment of nozzle used with the inventive apparatus.

Considering now the embodiment of FIGURE 1 it will be seen that therope-shaped textile goods 1 are conveyed via a roller 2 disposed in acontainer 3 into the one pipe-shaped compartment 4a of a pipe 4 which isrelatively narrow with regard to the fabric rope 1. Such rope-shapedfabric or textile goods 1 pass through a circular-shaped slotted nozzle5 providing a liquid delivery apparatus which is arranged in the lowerportion of the pipe 4 and through which the treatment liquid 6 is pumpedvertically upwards, parallel and opposite to the direction of travel ofsaid rope-shaped textile goods 1. Thereafter, the rope-shaped textilegoods 1 arrive in a lower detlecting chamber or compartment 7 containinga deflectng roller 8, for the purpose of changing the direction oftravel of such textile goods 1. A pipe or conduit 9 leads from thisdeecting compartment 7 to a pump 10. The treatment liquid 6 flows fromthe detlecting chamber 7 to the pump 1t) and is sprayed or injected bythe latter under pressure through the nozzle 5 into the pipe 4.

The textile goods 1 arrive from the dellecting chamber or compartment 7at the second pipe-shaped compartment livery or supply apparatus Y inthe form of a funnel. Y'

Varrives at the container 3 by means ofthe delivery ap- Y `flat,spread-'out web i' container'l through Y Vthrough Vthe compartment 4a YY, downward movement', is guided via the deflecting roller i'for/theforward Vconveying ofthe textile goods.

or chamber 11a of the pipe 11 and traverse the latter in verticaldirection, opposite the flow direction of the treatment liquid whichoverflows from the pipe 4 from above into the container 3 and thenarrives at the pipe 11. Thus, the treatment liquid 6 circulates throughboth pipe compartments 4a and 11a streaming up-and-down in counter- Yflow to the textile goods 1. The aforesaid textile goods 1 finally stillpass through a second ring-shaped liquid de- 12 by means of which freshtreatment liquid arrives in the treatment apparatus in that, thetreatment liquid is sprayed onto the rope of textile Ymaterial'l withina'tube 12a surrounding such rope of Vtextile material shortly before thetreatment liquid 1s` pressed-olf by means of the squeezing Vvor pinchroller arrangement 13, at the same time serving as transport means forthe textile goods.

'The pressed-outtreatment liquid flows intoA the liquid deliveryapparatus 12 which is configured at its top 12b paratus 12'then likewiseiiows, together with that quantity oftreatment liquid which overflowsfrom the upper end Vof the conduit or pipe 4, into Vthe conduit or pipe11. The v separating or partition wall 14 serves the purpose ofpreventing the newly introduced treatment liquid from being throughtheroveriiow pipe 15. Sincerthe treatment liquid according to thecirculation is continuously agitated in both of the pipe compartments 4aand 11a by means of the pump'l@ it is necessary that thetreatmentliquidv consumed and/or entrained by the YtextileV goods is continuouslyreplenished by new treatmentliquid, this occurring by means of theaforementioned delivery apparatus 12.V4 On the other hand, due Vto thementioned exchange effect there continuously takes place a change intheV concentration of the circulating bath.

l YAccordingly, in order'to maintain constant the concentration of thetreatment liquid, in most cases, a portion of thewconsumed treatmentliquid is advantageously conveyed away, this taking place by theVoveriiow pipe V15.

VBy virtueY of the inventive apparatus it is possible to also uphold theprinciples of counterflow withhigh velocity of the goods in thatextremely high pump pressures can be employed without the danger ofdamaging the textileV goods, which pressure must Vis Yeiected an overowin the container 3 from the pipe' V4 into the pipe 11.

be at least Vso ,large that there In FIGURE 2 wherein like referencenumerals vare'employed for the same orranalogous` elements, there is de-Y The of fabric 1 is conveyedintojan upper Y pict'ed afurther-embodiment of inventive apparatus.

the agency of -a roller 2 and travels ofthe pipe' 4 with vertical 8 Aofthe deiiecting compartment Y7 into the compartment `V11101, andV"therifarrives at'the container 16 of Va sec/ond` Y and 11', passingVtemratV the inlet 18` and flows by virtue of the operation ofthe'inventive apparatus in complete countercurrent'to Y Y the web of goods1, Vnotvfr'ithstanding the narrow compart- Vments and notwithstandingthe vertical arrangement of I the same, with relatively high velocitythrough the entire i bipartite apparatus. The treatment liquid thenleaves such apparatus via overflow Vpipe provided at the containercountercurrent.

' cating compartments of an aggregate. VThe apparatus of The treatmentliquid 6Y which Y section for the processing of Vrope-shaped goods,Further- YWith this mode of operation'a 'of treatment Y bathris consumedwith a good exchange elect, such being due to the narrow compartments,the high liquid velocity nandthe simultaneous, consistentiy'maintainedcomplete FIGURE 2 can, for example, advantageously be employed as a openWidth washing machine, whereby the number of aggregates eachincorporating two communicating comj partments can be optionallyenlarged. The rollers 2 and 2 and insofar as'desiredV also the rollers 8and 8 can be driven or freely rotate with the goods.

In the performance of the described invention such a large quantityof-bath with such a large velocity is delivered through the nozzles-perunit of time thatV the compartment overflows at its top, whereby,however, the quantity of bath flowing out 'at theV top from the narrow Ycompartment is smaller than the quantity pumped throughY the lnozzlesbecause a portion of the pumped-in bath is entrained by the textilegoods moving in counterow.

The apparatus designed according to the teachings of the inventionpossess the `further advantage that it is independent of the thicknessof the goods -and independentV Y of the weight of the textile goods tobe treated. With light and thinV fabrics with high velocities of thegoods the treatment liquid has the possibility `to more easily ow backbetween the transformations of the nozzle into f the compartment 7 thansuch is the Vcase withV heavy` thick fabrics.V Since, also, this returnVflowing liquid is again conducted through the'pipe 9 to the nozzle 5 bythe pump 10, there does not occur','iri` any mannen'a'n additionalliquid consumption, andsuch notwithstanding high -purnp loads and thethereby large conveyed quantities through the nozzle.

FIGURE 3 depicts a preferred assuch is used for increasing'the liquidvelocity in the pipe compartment through which the textile goods passVwith downward movement. The Vportion 19 of the nozzle facing Vtowardsthe textile goods 1 exhibits 'a rounded-off wall configuration 19a andis arranged in such armanner that the textile goods duringV continuousconveyance through the nozzleV slightly contact euch rounded-elf wall19a. for the treatmentV of rope-shaped textiles. the nozzle isconstructed as a ringfwhich preferably is provided with a continuousround slot20 servingV as the nozzle opening. AdvantageouslyJhe tips 21of the nozzle; portion 19 are outwardly directedY at theregion of the`nozzle opening 20 (such being indicated inV dotted-linesV i in FIGURE3),' inV orderk to thereby completelyV preclude ,v damaging of thetextile goods during Contact of the thin Y.

wall. l

It is. to be understood and appreciatedthatj the present Y `invention isnot limited to the illustrated embodiments.

In particular, the treatment compartments can possess an optionalcross-section, for example a wide and narrowV rectangular cross-sectionthe textile goods should 'tbe 'i processed in dat, spreadoutcondition,ora circular crossmore, the individual communicating treatment compart-Yments-can also comprisea number ofpipes which areY connected withoneanother behind one ariother'andisuch-V o Y pipe compartments whicharehorizontally disposed are. Y'

connected in superimposed relation VwithV deiiecting compartments,rorelse suchpipel compartments are arranged infzig-zag formation,V-forinatiom J-formation or U- formation for instance. Y In the samemanner, the inven. i

tive deliveryY apparatus for the approximately parallel introduction ofYthe treatment -liquid can be Varranged horizontal, inclined orvertically. y

While thereV is shown and described presentpreferred if i Y iembodiments of the invention it is to be' distinctly underi Y stoodthatthe invention is not limited thereto butmay` be otherwise variouslyembodied and practised-within the scope of the following claims. Y

Y' What is claimed is: i v1. Apparatus for the continuous Wet treatmentVof aV Y In contradistinction to the embodiment of PlGURE 1, in thiscase, the treatment liquid does not circulate in a closed cycle throughboth of the communiembodiment of a nozzle Y This construction isadvantageously employed.. Y In so doing,V ,f

textile material and the like comprising means providing at least twooperatively communicating compartments through which the textilematerial is delivered in downl Ward direction and then in upwarddirection, said two communicating compartments providing means includingconnecting means for intercommunicating said two compartments at theirlower portions, at least one treatment liquid delivery apparatusdisposed at the region of the lower portion of that compartment throughwhich the textile material moves downwardly, said treatment liquiddelivery apparatus including a nozzle through which passes said textilematerial, said nozzle incorporating means for directing a stream oftreatment liquid substantially parallel to the surface of the textilematerial, outlet pipe means communicating with said connecting means, apump connected with said outlet pipe means, and a connecting pipecommunicating the pressure side of said pump with said treatment liquiddelivery apparatus.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said treatment liquid deliveryapparatus is disposed at the region of the lower portionof thatcompartment through which the textile material moves downwardly in sucha manner that said directing means of said nozzle directs a stream oftreatment liquid in approximately opposite direction to the direction ofmovement of the textile material.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, further including 6 means forconveying the textile material in extended condition substantiallyaxially through said compartments.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle includes wallmeans directed towards the throughpassing textile material, said wallmeans lying in the zone of movement of said throughpassing textilematerial and contacting the latter during its throughpassage.

5. Apparatus 'according to claim 1 including a further treatment liquiddelivery apparatus disposed at the region of the upper end of thatcompartment through which the textile material moves upwardly so thatadditional treatment liquid can be introduced into said twocompartments.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 958,591 5/1910Butler etal 68-178 1,029,866 6/1912 Haskell 68-'181 X 1,062,245 5/1913Mathesius et al 68179 X 2,947,595 8/1960 Moelter 68-178 X 3,128,6164/l964 Giani 68-179 X 3,152,464 10/`1964 Faraguna 68-184 FOREIGN PATENTS569,713 ll/ 1957 Italy.

IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS WET TREATMENT OF A TEXTILE MATERIAL ANDTHE LIKE COMPRISING MEANS PROVIDING AT LEAST TWO OPERATIVELYCOMMUNICATING COMPARTMENTS THROUGH WHICH THE TEXTILE MATERIAL ISDELIVERED IN DOWNWARD DIRECTION AND THEN IN UPWARD DIRECTION, SAID TWOCOMMUNICATING COMPARTMENTS PROVIDING MEANS INCLUDING CONNECTING MEANSFOR INTERCOMMUNICATING SAID TWO COMPARTMENTS AT THEIR LOWER PORTIONS, ATLEAST ONE TREATMENT LIQUID DELIVERY APPARATUS DISPOSED AT THE REGION OFTHE LOWER PORTION OF THAT COMPARTMENT THROUGH WHICH THE TEXTILE MATERIALMOVES DOWNWARDLY, SAID TREATMENT LIQUID DELIVERY APPARATUS INCLUDING ANOZZLE THROUGH WHICH PASSES SAID TEXTILE MATERIAL, SAID NOZZLEINCORPORATING MEANS FOR DIRECTING A STREAM OF TREATMENT LIQUIDSUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE SURFACE OF THE TEXTILE MATERIAL, OUTLETPIPE MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CONNECTING MEANS, A PUMP CONNECTEDWITH SAID OUTLET PIPE MEANS, AND A CONNECTING PIPE COMMUNICATING THEPRESSURE SIDE OF SAID PUMP WITH SAID TREATMENT LIQUID DELIVERYAPPARATUS.